Press Releases
Durbin Meets With Defense Secretary Nominee, Dr. Mark Esper
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today met with Dr. Mark Esper, President Trump's nominee to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense. During today's meeting, Durbin asked Dr. Esper about the ongoing U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and the humanitarian crisis at the border that President Trump created with his anti-immigrant policies. "Dr. Esper is a respected professional, who has devoted a maj… Continue Reading
07.17.19
Senate Passes Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Brunei For Barbaric Laws
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate has passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Todd Young (R-IN), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) that condemns the government of Brunei for recently imposing laws that include, among other troubling things, death by stoning for adultery and homosexual relations. Their resolution also calls for the repeal of these barbaric laws and visa bans for anyone involved in their implementa… Continue Reading
07.17.19
Durbin Gives Pharma Fleece Award To Opioid Companies That Fueled Addiction Epidemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor, as part of his continued "Pharma Fleece Awards" series of floor speeches highlighting egregious cases of pharmaceutical industry greed, slammed drug manufacturers and distributors for igniting the nation's opioid addiction epidemic by flooding the United States with tens of billions of opioid doses. A story by the Washington Post published last night found that Big Pharma saturated the country with 76 billion oxycodone and h… Continue Reading
07.17.19
Durbin Honors Justice John Paul Stevens On Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today honored the life of Justice John Paul Stevens who passed away yesterday at the age of 99. Justice Stevens served on the Supreme Court for nearly 35 years. "He leaves behind an enormous legacy. He was committed to safeguarding the rights and liberties protected by the Constitution, and he cherished the importance of the judiciary as an impartial guard… Continue Reading
07.17.19
Durbin, Duckworth Praise Senate Passage Of Bipartisan Resolution Commemorating Fifth Anniversary Of Ukraine's Revolution Of Dignity
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, co-chair and co-founder of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today praised Senate passage of a bipartisan resolution commemorating the fifth anniversary of Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity. The resolution recognizes the bravery of the people of Ukraine who participated in the Maidan protests and honors the memory of the more than 100 protestors who were killed. In addition, it encourages Ukraine to continue its progress over the… Continue Reading
07.17.19
Durbin, Reed Introduce Bills To Stop Corporate Inversions & Put Money Back Into The Pockets Of Working-Class Families
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Jack Reed (D-RI) today introduced two pieces of legislation that aim to stop business practices known as inversions - corporate deals that allow U.S. companies to shift their corporate citizenship from the United States to a low-tax foreign jurisdiction, even while keeping their executives and headquarters in the United States. This is accomplished by merging with a foreign company that can be as little as one-fifth of the size of the U.S. corpo… Continue Reading
07.16.19
Durbin Slams New Trump Administration Rule On Asylum Seekers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today argued that President Donald Trump's cruel and ineffective immigration policies have made our southern border much less secure than when he took office. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also called out the Trump Administration for the unprecedented cruelty they have shown to immigrants - especially families and children. "Now the Trump Administration has p… Continue Reading
07.16.19
Durbin To McConnell: Americans Want Action On Prescription Drug Prices, Not Foreign Tax Treaties
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor challenged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to end his legislative graveyard and bring bills to the floor that help lower the cost of prescription drugs for American families. This week, the Senate will vote on four different tax treaties with Spain, Switzerland, Japan, and Luxembourg. Durbin questioned why these treaties are more important to McConnell than working to hold pharmaceutical manufac… Continue Reading
07.16.19
Durbin, Menendez Statement On President Trump's Refusal To Designate Venezuela For TPS
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after the Trump Administration, in a letter from controversial Acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ken Cuccinelli, stated that it will not designate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). In March, Durbin and Menendez led a bipartisan group of 24 Senators in a letter… Continue Reading
07.15.19
Durbin Introduces Bipartisan Bill To Speed Up Availability Of Generic Insulin
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the Affordable Insulin Approvals Now Act, a bipartisan bill to speed up approvals of lower-cost, generic, and "follow-on" insulin products in order to help lower costs of the life-saving drug. Approximately 7.5 million Americans with diabetes rely on insulin every day to survive, yet the drug has experienced a price increase of more than 600 percent over the past two decades in the United States. This legislation, introduced in the Senat… Continue Reading
07.12.19
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Legislation To Stop Cruel Treatment Of Children At The Border
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and 31 Democratic Senators to introduce the Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act. This new legislation would put an end to the Trump Administration's cruel treatment of children at the U.S.-Mexico border and reform how children fleeing persecution are treated between the moment at which they arrive at our borders to claim asylum and the ultimate resolution of… Continue Reading
07.11.19
Durbin, Cramer, Smith Introduce Bill To Speed Up Availability Of Generic Insulin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Tina Smith (D-MN) today introduced the Affordable Insulin Approvals Now Act, a bipartisan bill to speed up approvals of lower-cost, generic, and "follow-on" insulin products in order to help lower costs of the life-saving drug. Approximately 7.5 million Americans with diabetes rely on insulin every day to survive, yet the drug has experienced a price increase of more than 600 percent over the past two decades in the United … Continue Reading
07.11.19
Durbin, Lee, Senators Press HHS About Public Health Impact Of "Fentanyl-Related" Scheduling
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mike Lee (R-UT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Kamala Harris (D-CA), all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a bipartisan letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar about their concerns that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) have not adequately consulted with public health agencies in connecti… Continue Reading
07.11.19
Durbin: President Trump's Plan For Mass Arrests And Deportations Will Not Make America Safer
WASHINGTON - Following reports that the Trump Administration is preparing mass arrests and deportations of undocumented families, which could lead to many families being separated, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today called out President Donald Trump for his cruel, anti-immigrant agenda. "These mass arrests and mass deportations are going to create fear in communities across the United States, including the City … Continue Reading
07.11.19
Durbin, Collins, Wenstrup, Rice Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill To Make The VA Smoke-Free
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Susan Collins (R-ME), along with U.S. Representatives Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (R-OH-02) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY-04), today introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to prohibit smoking at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The legislation would repeal an antiquated 1992 law that requires the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to furnish and maintain designated indoor or outdoor smoking areas. Supported by the VA, the bill would br… Continue Reading
07.11.19
Durbin Calls Out Trump Administration For Inhumane Conditions At The Border
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today slammed the Trump Administration for the inhumane detention facility conditions at the southwest border. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin detailed recent reports of the overcrowded and inhumane conditions at the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities. "Eventually, the history of this period will be written and there will be accountability, not just … Continue Reading
07.11.19
Durbin Statement On Administration Briefing Regarding Election Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Rules Committee, today released the following statement after an all-Senators briefing by the Trump Administration on election security: "Our intelligence agencies are spending millions of dollars to stop the Russians from making a mockery of the 2020 election. Unfortunately, Leader McConnell is blocking critical, comprehensive election security legislation that would help to assure every vote will be counted."… Continue Reading
07.10.19
Durbin: We Must Hold Big Pharma Accountable For High Prices Of Insulin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor slammed the pharmaceutical manufacturers of insulin for exorbitant price increases of more than 600 percent over the past two decades in the United States. Durbin met with Illinois youth members of JDRF (formerly known as Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) today to hear their stories about dealing with the skyrocketing prices of this life-saving drug, and the importance of continuing to fund medical research into Type 1 … Continue Reading
07.10.19
Durbin, Grassley Vow To Continue Push To Require Disclosure Of Drug Prices In TV Ads
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today released the following statements regarding a federal judge's ruling that direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements do not have to include the list price of the drug. "Apparently a little daylight is too much for Big Pharma. Rather than level with the American public about the sky-high cost of their drugs-when they run their non-stop ads-Pharma sued to block patients from knowing the price. A federal c… Continue Reading
07.09.19
Durbin, Duckworth Help Introduce Health Care Bill Of Rights
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined Senator Jeff Merkley and 14 of their Senate Democratic colleagues to introduce a new resolution supporting a "health care bill of rights" for all Americans. Durbin and Duckworth introduced the health care bill of rights on the first day of oral arguments in Texas v. United States-a lawsuit brought by 18 Republican states Attorneys General, and endorsed by President Trump's Administration, that seeks to elimin… Continue Reading